Luv ya (red, white and) blue

The Dynamo finished runners-up in the MLS finals. UH’s football team (12-1) is ranked in the top 25 and nearly gained a BCS berth (but the Cougars will take on Penn State in the Jan. 2 TicketCity Bowl in Dallas). After an NBA lockout, the Rockets prepare to start its season later this month. The Astros are looking forward to joining the American League next season.

And the squad of the hour, the Texans (10-3), became the first AFC team to clinch its division and a berth in the NFL playoffs. It’s also a first for the franchise that was established in 2002 in a city still remembers its beloved “Luv Ya Blue” Oilers (1960-96) that moved to Tennessee.

Ahhhh yes, there’s a new blue in H-town. The powder blue of the Oilers has given way to the Texans “deep steel” blue, along with “battle” red and “liberty” white. Expect the Texans bandwagon to expand. Texans merchandise will sell briskly as the postseason approaches. Even if you don’t have the team’s gear just yet, the team colors are most familiar. Like Old Glory and the Lone Star state flag, the Texans share the red-white-blue color combination. The pieces are easy to assemble. In practice, blue would be the dominant color, with red and white as the accent colors.

Expect more Texans gear to appear as playoffs near.

When considering which blue uniform to wear at Reliant Stadium for the playoffs, choose wisely.

A basic outfit goes something like this: Start with blue denim (white trousers are out of season at the moment, red trousers for men are a bit loud), a white button-down shirt, and a red turtleneck or mock underneath. Or, a white shirt and a red sweater vest will also keep you in alignment with holiday wear.

For outwerwear options, a navy blazer tops finishes off a look that is casual but carries authority. A windbreaker in red, white and/or blue also works well.

There’s little need to wear anything out of the ordinary and still show sartorial support for the Texans: Navy (not red or white) suit; white (not navy or red) shirt; and a navy or red (but not white) tie.

Texans colors are easily represented in office wear.

Of course, much of the guesswork is removed if you purchase one of the Texans’ jerseys. But in the workplace, know that there are ways to accomplish a similar expression of supporting the home team through your attire.